


Take A Chance

by black_listed



Series: Find Yourself [2]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29859009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_listed/pseuds/black_listed
Summary: Before you read...This is a continuation of another work of mine called "Maybe I Misjudged You". I encourage that you go read that first since it's a part of a series now.I hope you enjoy the first chapter, I try to update every 1-2 weeks. :)
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Series: Find Yourself [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2195262
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	1. The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Before you read...
> 
> This is a continuation of another work of mine called "Maybe I Misjudged You". I encourage that you go read that first since it's a part of a series now.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the first chapter, I try to update every 1-2 weeks. :)

* * *

“Do you want prosciutto or lunch meat on your sandwich?” Amy called out to Shadow. The black hedgehog was lying in a hammock, eyes closed, seemingly asleep. He let out a chuckle.

“What kind of question is that?” He opened one eye and looked in her direction.

“Well, who knows—maybe you were one of those people that prefer bologna,” she said sarcastically. Shadow rolled his eyes before closing them again. She returned to her kitchen countertop, from there she assembled some sandwiches and poured two glasses of lemonade, then carried them out to the living room and placed the food on the coffee table. 

“Oh, that looks good.” He commented, quickly rolling out of the hammock and plopping down on the couch. “Thanks.” He picked a sandwich and took a bite. Bliss. He really enjoyed Amy’s food, even if it was as simple as a sandwich. She’d always add a twist to it.

“Soooo… I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Amy finally announced. Shadow coughed a bit, briefly choking on his food.

“Should I be worried?” Shadow cleared his throat.

“Don’t be so dramatic.” She nudged his arm and sat next to him.

It had only been a handful of months since Amy had befriended Shadow. He was still rather polite and reserved, and even rather shy at times. Initially, he quite anxious around her. Clearly, new situations were uncomfortable for him, but as they grew closer together, the more comfortable he felt expressing himself. She was beginning to see a playful side to him. However, aside from Rouge and Omega, he only ever spent time with her. He had once mentioned in passing that Rouge and Omega weren’t always assigned the same projects. It was something that clearly bothered him, but she never asked for more details. She figured that when he was ready, and he’d talk to her about it.

“So, I’m going on a trip to a lake, and I was thinking you should join me.” Amy smiled.

“That’s it? I thought it was something more serious.” Shadow remarked.

“But…” 

“Should’ve known there was a catch.” He sighed.

The week before, Amy was with her other friends—Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. Amy had suggested spending a few days at a lodge near Sparkling Lake, which was a ways away, but not by plane. It occurred to Amy that Shadow would be alone, ranging from a few days to a week, depending on how long they stayed. She didn’t want to leave him behind, so she had wondered if he’d agree to join them.

“Everyone else will be there.” She admitted. 

“Everyone else? You mean Sonic and the other two?”

“Knuckles and Tails,” she raised her eyebrow, “they have names, you know.”

“Pfft, I know that.”

“Well, what do you think?” Amy eagerly waited for his response. 

He let out another sigh and rested his chin in his hand. Truth be told, he wasn’t fond of those three. Not that he disliked them, but he knew that they found his presence unnerving—particularly with Tails. The few times he had interacted with Knuckles, they butted heads and it ended in a fight more than once. Although, the circumstances were different, and it was all due to a misunderstanding. Typically, a result of Eggman's manipulation. Then there was Sonic. Frankly, he got along with him the best, but they didn’t really _know_ each other. Admittedly, Shadow had a history of anger issues and wasn’t always in the right. That of course, did improve over time, and while Sonic wasn’t one to hold grudges, he wasn’t sure how’d he or the others would react with him being around.

“They’re fine with it?” Shadow finally asked.

“Err, actually, I haven’t really asked them yet…” Amy laughed nervously. 

Shadow stared at her, completely unamused.

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” she shook her head, “but I really want you to come. I’ll be gone for a bit, and I’d like to hang out with all my friends, y’know?” 

“…Only if they agree.”

“You will!?” she cheered. 

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t get your hopes up.” Shadow continued where he left off, taking another bite of his sandwich. “You don’t have anything else to ask, right? I don’t want to choke on my sandwich again.”

“No, don’t worry—” Amy chuckled, “not yet at least.”

“Mmmhm.” Shadow let out, smiling, and rolling his eyes.


	2. Hesitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided that I'm going to post two chapters this week since this one is short-- the next one will be out on Wednesday (PST). Enjoy!

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Knuckles leaned against the doorway.

“You didn’t even let me finish.” Amy pointed out.

She was feeling optimistic about the situation. She was confident that Shadow could get along with the others. Now? Not so much.

Knuckles looked up at the ceiling, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

“He’s not exactly a people person,” he turned to face her, “I’m not saying that I am, but he seems really standoffish.”

Tails shook his head as he typed away on his computer, “he’s not wrong, Shadow hasn’t really been too friendly with us.”

“I understand that you have your doubts, but it won’t be the same as before.”

Sonic was sitting on a window sill, peering out at some birds in the yard. He hadn’t said anything yet. Amy wondered what he thought about her proposal—did he disapprove? Normally she’d lecture him for not paying attention, but she suspected that he was still processing the idea.

“I never pictured you two being close friends,” the blue hedgehog jumped down from the window sill and let out a big yawn, “I’m not too sure how we’ll all get along, but if you trust him, then why not? No biggie.”

“You’re too easygoing for your own good sometimes.” Knuckles criticized.

“I’m honestly surprised you didn’t agree, Knux.” Sonic stood by Knuckles and put his hand on his shoulder. “You’re usually the trusting type, what's up?”

“It’s just that he’s worked me up before, so I don't like the idea too much. But if you’re cool with it, then I guess I am too.”

Amy smiled wide and quickly turned her attention towards Tails. 

“You don’t have to say anything else,” Tails let out a small laugh, “I’m still a little hesitant, but this seems important to you. It’s okay with me.”

“Aw, you guys!” she gleamed, “I promise you won’t regret it! Will we have enough room on the Tornado, Tails?”

“Yeah, we will. It just means one more person has to hang outside with Sonic.”

“I can do that. It’s nicer being outside anyways.” Knuckles chimed in. 

* * *

Today was an awfully uneventful day. Shadow sat at his desk and picked up a book. As he flipped through the pages to find where he had left off, he thought about what Rouge had said to him earlier. Maybe he should move out of the base. Find somewhere better to live. Maybe he had outgrown this place.

_You know, the reason why they don’t send you on missions anymore is because you’ve been distracted lately. They’re worried that you’ll get hurt again._

As if he didn’t know that already. Although, having never owned or rented a place of his own, the thought of moving out sounded stressful. Suddenly his phone buzzed. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled it out to find that Amy had messaged him.

_Hey!! The boys said it’s cool for you to join us! We’re leaving in a few days, so be sure to pack for at least a week. We’ll be meeting at Sonic’s place. I’ll send you to directions. :)_

Was it too late to take back what he said? He had only agreed thinking that they’d say no, but now he had to go. He didn’t want to upset Amy, she seemed excited about the idea, but an all too familiar queasy feeling rushed back to him all at once. He rested his head on the desk. It’s so much easier to distance yourself from people. He let out a groan in frustration. Watching people from afar was comforting in a way, and it was easy to push people away when they got too close. Those things weren’t enjoyable to do though. Not in the long run.

He was trying to move past all that. Find a better way to deal with things. He glanced at a card he had pinned to a corkboard that read “Hope & Wellness: Dr.Meadow, 10:45am.”

_Making friends would be a good thing for you._

That comment echoed in his mind.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.” He said to himself out loud.


	3. One Step Forward

“I wonder if this is everything.” Shadow skimmed through his packing list. He had spare clothes, shoes, and toiletries all neatly packed into a duffle bag. He picked up the bag and made his way towards the bus stop. Ever since he started hanging out with Amy, he enjoyed taking the bus, whereas before it made him nervous. When you’re on a bus, you can sit back and relax. Let your mind wander.

It was particularly warm today, which caused immense heat to radiate off the asphalt and sidewalk. _Good thing I decided to wear something light_ , he thought to himself. As he approached the bus stop, he unzipped an outer pocket of his duffle bag and pulled out a pair of earbuds. He put them on and let the music fill the inside of his head, blocking out any outside noise. He was still unsure of what to expect, which made him uneasy, but he felt more confident than before thanks to Rouge.

* * *

“Wow. I’m honestly surprised how quickly things are moving along.” Rouge took a sip of her coffee.

“Maybe too quickly.” Shadow cleared his throat.

“Well, it’s fine if you still feel nervous about it. You’ve never done something like this before, right? It’s only natural,” Rouge patted his back. “honestly, I’m relieved. I was really worried about you before.”

“I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“Don’t dwell on it too much. I only worry because you’re my friend. That’s normal.” She smiled. “I just want people to see the Shadow that I know.”

* * *

Shadow let out a sigh. How was he supposed to do that? It was hard enough as it is to talk to one person at a time, surely, it’d be more difficult with three additional people that were practically strangers to him. The bus approached and made its stop. He got on and took a seat, letting his eyes wander out the window. Sonic’s house wasn’t too far from the base. 15 minutes from this stop to next, and from there a 10-minute walk. Funny how he never realized how close that blue hedgehog lived to him. According to Amy, the house was in a wooded area, which is why guests had to walk the rest of the way.

Vzzzzt. Shadow reached into his duffle bag. A message from Amy.

_Are you on your way? :)_

_Yeah. I’m almost at the next stop._

_Great! When you get off your stop keep going straight until you see a path to your left. If you follow it, it’ll lead you here._

After arriving at his stop, Shadow followed Amy's instructions and soon found himself at the entrance of a trail. Making his way through the woods, he took notice of the several wind chimes and bird feeders hanging from the branches above. The area was teeming with life, with this much shade, and even a creek running alongside the trail, it was no wonder why they lived out here. Normally, these woods weren’t available for residential housing, but Sonic and Tails had a decent relationship with the major, and the city clearly made an exception for them.

“Shadow!” A voice called out.

Shadow reached the end of the path to find himself at the edge of a large yard. Across the yard, he spotted Amy waving him over, she was leaning against the fencing that surrounded the house. She wore her quills in a messy ponytail. She was dressed for the weather, fitted with a lime-colored tank top and black shorts. He waved back and approached her. Knuckles and Sonic had bags in tow and were dragging them to the back of the house. 

“We’re just putting everything in the Tornado.” She swayed back and forth with excitement. “Follow me, so we can put your stuff away too.” She took his hand and dragged him to the back where the Tornado was stationed. Behind the house were a shed and a small hangar sitting beside it. The work of Tails no doubt.

“Long time no see, Shads.”

Shadow turned to face Sonic, a blue hedgehog with a constant grin on his face. _Still with that nickname._

“…Hey.” Shadow replied.

Sonic’s smile dampened ever so slightly at his unenthusiastic reply.

“You can put your bag in here.” Knuckles was loading the bags they had just carried over into the plane

Without saying anything in return, Shadow stood next to Knuckles and carefully placed his bag into the compartment. _This was a bad idea._

“So… How’s it been?” Knuckles glanced at Shadow.

“It’s been fine.”

“Right…”

_This is really bad. Why did I do this?_

Shadow held his breath and put his hand over his mouth. It felt like everything was spinning, a queasy feeling filled his stomach, and he could feel his body heating over.

_Dammit, not now. Please._

Suddenly, Amy wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

“Hey, you’re wearing the top we got at the store. I told you it’d look good on you.” Amy smiled at him reassuringly.

“…You have a good eye for things like that.” Shadow smiled nervously.

The tightness that had grown moments before lingered in his chest. He could feel the shallowness in his breath, the trembling in his hands, and his heart thump rapidly. Amy's hand rubbed his arm gently, and she squeezed her arm around him more. He took a deep breath, letting the hot air fill his lungs, and then let out a sigh. Much better. A smile appeared on his face as the tightness lessened.

“You guys ready— Oh, you're here!” Tails emerged from the shed, with a tool belt in hand. A soft "hello" was all Shadow could muster in response. There was silence for a few moments before Tails spoke again. “What do you think of the place, Shadow?” Tails asked as he flew to the cockpit of the Tornado. 

“...It’s peaceful out here. I assume you built everything yourself.”

“You bet!” the passenger’s canopy suddenly opened, “you and Amy are riding inside with me.”

* * *

Just like that, they were off. The Tornado flew gracefully in the sky. Everything below appeared so small.

"Hey, Shadow." Tails called from the pilot's seat. "I'm going to honest, I wasn't sure about this at first. With you coming along, I mean. 

“Tails… Don’t make him uncomfortable.” Amy sighed.

"No, it's not like that. I just... wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Shadow's ear twitched.

"I was so preoccupied about how I felt, I didn't consider how you'd feel." The fox's voice softened a bit. "I mean, you're nervous right?"

Shadow bit his lip and let his gaze drop.

"I'm kinda nervous too, but I'm glad you decided to come along anyway. I always hear good things about you from Amy."

"...You're very kind." Shadow breathed out a chuckle. "Thank you."


	4. Settling In

“Are we allowed to station the Tornado here?” Shadow questioned.

“It should be fine. We’re far enough from the lodge that it shouldn’t bother anyone,” Tails stretched out his arms, “I’ll camouflage it just to be safe.”

“How far are we from the lodge anyways?” Knuckles picked up a couple of bags and slung them over his shoulder.

“About a mile or two. It shouldn’t take us too long, especially since we’re traveling downhill—” Tails patted his stomach. “I could eat, what about you guys?”

“I’m starving!” Sonic chimed in.

They had landed in an open clearing in the forest, high above the lake. It was still midday, the sun was blazing, and the sky was without a single cloud in sight. The air was dry, and even from this elevation, you could smell the smoke from nearby barbecues and campfires. Everyone started making their way downhill, Sonic was as energetic as ever, excited about everything but actual the lake. They made idle chit-chat, discussing things like what they wanted to eat when suddenly Shadow stopped walking. 

Shadow’s gaze was stolen away, his eyes looking downward at the lake. The water was a beautiful deep shade of green, with a handful of small islands scattered across the lake. From this height, you could see countless people swimming, boating, and running across the bank of the lake. 

“This view reminds me of being on the island. It’s peaceful.” Knuckles took out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. “Wow, it’s bright.”

“Wait,” Shadow shook his head, “who’s looking after the Master Emerald then?”

“I’d rather not talk about that.” Knuckles laughed nervously. 

* * *

“Here it is. Room 328. Finally.” Amy sighed in relief, as she unlocked and opened the door to their room.

“Tired already, Ames?” Sonic teased.

“Tired and hungry, thank you very much.”

Shadow walked in, peering around the room. There were three white queen-sized beds that stood out in contrast to the dark brown carpet. There were your normal amenities, such as a TV, a coffee maker, and a small fridge, but there was also a large couch in the corner next to a door that led out to a balcony. 

“…How was this all paid for?” Shadow asked, in complete shock.

“It’s on Tails.” Sonic put his arm around Tails, “he makes quite a bit.”

“I work as a contractor on the side.” Tails stated bashfully. 

“I forget that you’re not a kid anymore.” Shadow leaned against one of the dressers, “you’re even taller than us, with exception of Knuckles.”

Time passed by so quickly. Even though it had only been a handful of years, it was strange to think that those days of constant adventure were almost all but behind them now. He would’ve never imagined himself here.

“Tails, I’m bunking you with you.” 

“Oh, sure that’s fine.” Tails smiled at Knuckles.

Sonic glanced over at Shadow, gently punching his arm.

“Guess that means we’re sharing. We’ll let Amy have her own bed.”

“Good, cause I was planning on having this bed all to myself.” Amy called from across the room.

Shadow almost interjected, suggesting that he could take the couch instead, but didn’t want to bring any more attention to himself. He watched as Sonic slid his bag under the bed nearest the window, which prompted him to place his own bag at the foot of the bed. When was the last time he had slept with another person in the same bed? That was a long time ago. A really long time ago.

“Do you think they serve chilidogs here?”

“Is that all you ever think about eating?” Shadow shook his head.

“Of course not!”

* * *

“Aw, man. I was really hoping they’d have the works.” Sonic rested his head on the table.

“I thought chilidogs weren’t the only thing you thought about.” Knuckles looked up from his menu. “Guess Shadow was right.”

“Don’t rub it in, Knux. I’m grieving here.”

“Grieving? You going to deliver us a eulogy then?” Shadow smirked.

“I don’t think I’ll ever move on.”

“There’s plenty of good options on the menu.” Amy rolled her eyes and chuckled.

Eventually, everyone ordered what they wanted, and the waiter came and went. Now they just had to wait for their food to arrive. Although things were a little rocky at the start, Shadow noted to himself how the mood had improved since then. It was still a little awkward, but he remembered that it was a similar situation with Amy. It didn’t seem like him being there was too much of a nuisance after all. 

“The food smells so good.” Amy rubbed her hands together eagerly. 

The waiter served everyone their dishes, wafts of fresh bread, vegetables, and meat filled the surrounding air. Everyone seemed content with their meal, except for Sonic. Shadow rested his cheek in his hand and glanced over at Sonic. He had ordered a personal-sized margarita pizza. The scent of basil and tomato sauce was potent and mouthwatering. Sonic had ordered a burger, which Shadow assumed was his attempt to compensate for the lack of a chilidog. The blue hedgehog took bites of his burger, all while taking glimpses of what was on Shadow’s plate.

As Shadow picked up a slice, he remembered a similar situation between him and Rouge. Years ago, not too long after the defeat of Neo Metal, Rouge had made many efforts to befriend him. She’d strike up a conversation, or invite him out for coffee, but he had always refused. At some point, he finally gave in. It was nearing Christmas, and she had ordered a hot peppermint chocolate with a slice of cheesecake. Neither of which Shadow had ever tried. 

_“I can’t believe you only got coffee. You’re really missing out.”_

_“Coffee is enough for me.”_

_“Really? Because you kinda look like you wanna some. Do you want to try it?”_

Shadow placed the slice on the corner of Sonic’s plate, which took Sonic aback.

“You’re giving me a slice?”

“You looked like you wanted to try it.”

Sonic let out a huffed laugh and quickly ate the slice. Pure bliss swept across his face. He always appreciated how expressive Sonic was. He was the type of person that you could trust to be genuine. It was admirable. 

“Thanks for letting me have a slice,” Sonic nudged at Shadow’s arm, “that was unexpected.” Everyone else at the table took notice, and everyone except Amy seemed a little surprised. 

“Pfft.” Shadow huffed out. “Whatever.” He turned his head away.

“You’re making him shy.” Amy laughed.

That comment only flustered him further. Crossing his arms, he hoped they didn’t notice the pink blush building up in his muzzle. 

_It’s not even that big of a deal._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *If you don't know who Neo Metal is, just note that memory with Rouge and Shadow occurs after Sonic Heroes.  
> *Character ages:  
> Shadow - 21 (Physically)  
> Sonic - 20  
> Knuckles - 21  
> Amy - 19  
> Tails - 17
> 
> I realize that the time skip doesn't match up with everyone's canonical ages, but I wanted them to be older.  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
